Device For Detecting Weapons In A Piece Of Luggage

ABSTRACT

The disclosed invention relates generally to a device for detecting weapons in a piece of luggage, which can be used in particular at airport security gates. The object of the present invention pertains to the technical field of security technology for checking persons with respect to the carrying of weapons. In particular, the invention relates to the visualization of carried bladed weapons or firearms, for instance in airport security checks.

This application claims priority from German Utility Model No. 20 2015103 628, filed on Jul. 10, 2015 entitled ‘Device for Detecting Weaponsin a Piece of Luggage’, which application is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The present invention relates generally to a device for detectingweapons in a piece of luggage, which can be used in particular atairport security gates. The object of the present invention pertains tothe technical field of security technology for checking persons withrespect to the carrying of weapons. In particular, the invention relatesto the visualization of carried bladed weapons or firearms, for instancein airport security checks.

BACKGROUND

In the check-in procedure for flight passengers, the flight passengerwith his/her luggage arrives at the airport and is received at thecorresponding counter for the respective flight by the receptionpersonnel of the booked airline. At the counter, the flight passengerreceives his/her boarding ticket by means of which he/she is firstlyenabled to enter an airport security zone and to finally enter theairplane. Moreover, the flight passenger drops off the luggage at thecounter, which is then transferred to the freight space of the airplaneseparately. The pieces of luggage of the registered luggage are screenedat random or completely on their way to the freight space in theairplane, in order to detect whether dangerous or endangering content istransported. The registered luggage is transferred to the airplane inisolation from the flight passenger and is then boarded. Hence, theflight passenger does not have a chance to take any dangerous objectsfrom the registered luggage on board to his/her seat in the airplane.

Weapons are dangerous objects which are suited for threatening orinjuring humans and thus are suited for hijacking an airplane, forinstance bladed weapons (such as knifes) and firearms (such as nail gundevices, harpoons or crossbows).

When the flight passenger has dropped off his registered luggage, he/sheproceeds to the corresponding departure gate to take a seat in theparking airplane. The departure gate is located in the airport securityzone. The security zone can only be entered through a security gate,where a security check is performed. Said security check is performedfor the flight passenger and the flight passenger's hand luggage. Theflight passenger is inspected for dangerous objects on the body and in afurther inspection hand luggage is scanned for dangerous objects. Handluggage, in contrast to registered luggage, is taken into the securityzone and is finally taken into the airplane.

Before the inspection of the flight passenger for dangerous objects onthe body, the flight passenger puts all metallic objects to the handluggage. For this purpose, watches, belts, shoes, key bunches andwallets are placed on a conveyor belt conveying the hand luggage throughthe security gate.

The inspection of the flight passenger for dangerous objects on the bodytakes place without any contact. Until recently, said check wasperformed exclusively with the use of metal detectors. Such metaldetectors are moved by the security staff along the body to be inspectedand emit a warning signal if there are any nearby metallic objects.Metal detectors can also be embodied as a gate to be passed through.Such metal detectors are afflicted with the problem that exclusivelydangerous objects of metal are thereby detected. However, weapons ofcarbon fiber composite material, such as a knife of carbon fibercomposite material, thereby are not detectable.

A material in which fabric mats of carbon fibers are embedded into amatrix of for instance epoxy is referred to as carbon fiber compositematerial. This material is extremely resilient and simultaneously a verylightweight material. For instance, knives being completely made ofcarbon fiber composite material with low weight are available on themarket for application by mountaineers in an emergency case. Moreover,firearms, for instance in the form of a nail gun device, can also beproduced from carbon fiber composite material.

So-called body scanners are increasingly used at airport security gates.Said body scanners employ terahertz radiation to detect objects hiddenon the body. Electromagnetic radiation having frequencies between 0.1and 10 terahertz, in other words between microwaves and infrared light,is referred to as terahertz radiation. A terahertz transmitterirradiates the human body, whereby terahertz radiation is reflected onthe surface thereof. A receiver receives the reflected terahertzradiation for evaluation. Hence, objects can be detected which have areflection for terahertz radiation which differs from the reflection ofhuman skin. Terahertz radiation is reflected differently at electricallyconductive objects of metal or carbon fiber composite material comparedto human skin. Hence, weapons located on the human body and made ofcarbon fiber composite material can be detected. Body scanners pose theproblem that all weapons not carried on the body in principle areexcluded from the detection by the inspection.

In the conventional hand luggage check, the pieces of luggage areconveyed on a conveyor belt and are transilluminated by X-rays in aconveyance tunnel. Typically, for this purpose hand luggage is placed ina tray on a conveyor belt by the flight passenger. On said conveyorbelt, hand luggage is then passed through a zone being transilluminatedby an X-ray. There, a planar X-ray is directed to a detector, saiddetector being connected to an image output unit. The detectordetermines the absorption of the X-ray by objects being located in thepiece of luggage. The image output unit generates a representation ofthe objects localized in the piece of luggage in a transilluminationimage due to the detected attenuation of the X-ray. For imaging,coherent objects are uniformly colored. In X-ray scanners there is thesecurity problem that carbon fiber composite materials are not visiblein said transillumination image. In tests with scanner devices which areusing a radiant energy in the range of about 50 keV during operation 1-2mm thick slices of a standard carbon plate material, or a carbon bladesof Puma, are not visible. In the production of carbon fiber compositematerial, there are fiber blends of glass fiber and carbon fiber whichare visible in the X-ray image, however, pure carbon fiber compositematerials can be produced readily only with carbon fibers.

A security gap is therefore in that a criminal passenger who intends tohijack an airplane can take a weapon of carbon fiber composite materialon board of an airplane by transporting the same in the hand luggagerather than carrying the same on the body.

Hence, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device fordetecting weapons in a piece of luggage which overcomes the above-citeddrawbacks and closes in particular the security gap that a criminalpassenger may be able to smuggle a weapon of carbon fiber compositematerial into the security zone at an airport.

SUMMARY

Disclosed are devices, methods, apparatus, and systems that provide adevice for detecting weapons in a piece of luggage, the device maycomprise a luggage placement unit for placement of a piece of luggage tobe scanned, a first detection unit having an X-ray source and an X-raydetector, wherein said X-ray source may interact with the X-ray detectorin such a manner that a weapon of an X-ray absorbing material may bedetected at the luggage placement unit in a piece of luggage to bescanned, a second detection unit which may be adapted to detect a weaponof an X-ray non-absorbing material at the luggage placement unit in apiece of luggage to be scanned, and an output unit which may be forgenerating a signal when a weapon located in the piece of luggage may bedetected by the first detection unit or the second detection unit. Thedevice may also comprise wherein, the second detection unit may comprisea terahertz radiation source and a terahertz radiation detector whichmay interact in such a manner that a weapon of carbon fiber compositematerial may be detected at the luggage placement unit in the piece ofluggage to be scanned. The device additionally may comprise wherein thesecond detection unit comprises a reflector, wherein said reflector maybe arranged such that terahertz radiation emanating from the terahertzradiation source may be directed into the terahertz radiation detector.The device also may further comprising a casing tunnel in which thefirst detection unit and the second detection unit are arranged, andwherein the luggage placement unit comprises a conveyor belt forconveying a piece of luggage to be scanned through the casing tunnel. Inaddition, the device may comprise, wherein the first detection unit maybe arranged in the conveying direction of the conveyor belt in front ofthe second detection unit and also wherein the output unit may include ascreen for displaying an image generated by the output unit of theweapon detected in the piece of luggage. Further, the device maycomprise, wherein the output unit may include an image processing unitfor comparing several images generated by the output unit of the weaponlocated in the piece of luggage, as well as, wherein the imageprocessing unit may compare an image of the piece of luggage from theinspection by the first detection unit and an image of the piece ofluggage from the inspection by the second detection unit. The device mayfurther comprise, wherein the output unit may include a warning unitwhich may be adapted to emit a warning signal if an image of the pieceof luggage from the inspection by the first detection unit does not showa weapon and an image of the piece of luggage from the inspection by thesecond detection unit does show a weapon. In an embodiment the devicemay comprise a security gate comprising a body scanner for inspectingpeople for the carrying of weapons on the body and a device fordetecting weapons in a piece of luggage.

The methods and systems disclosed herein may be implemented in any meansfor achieving various aspects. Other features will be apparent from theaccompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Example embodiments are illustrated by way of example and are notlimited to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which, likereferences indicate similar elements.

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention devicefor detecting weapons in a piece of luggage.

Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from theaccompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This object of the invention is attained by a device for detectingweapons in a piece of luggage according/Advantageous embodiments are theobject of the respective dependent claims.

The invention pertains to a device for detecting weapons in a piece ofluggage, said device comprising a luggage placement unit onto which apiece of luggage to be scanned can be placed, a first detection unithaving an X-ray source and an X-ray detector, wherein said X-ray sourceinteracts with the X-ray detector in such a manner that a weapon of anX-ray absorbing material is detected at the luggage placement unit in apiece of luggage to be scanned, and a second detection unit which isadapted to detect a weapon of an X-ray non-absorbing material at theluggage placement unit in a piece of luggage to be scanned, and anoutput unit for generating a signal when a weapon located in the pieceof luggage is detected by the first detection unit or the seconddetection unit.

The hand luggage is placed in the luggage placement unit and the firstdetection unit having the X-ray source and the X-ray detector generatesa transillumination image of the content of the hand luggage. Suchtransillumination images are based on the attenuation of X-rays. Aweapon of an X-ray non-absorbing material, such as carbon fibercomposite material, is not detected by the first detection unit. Thesecond detection unit detects a weapon of an X-ray non-absorbingmaterial at the luggage placement unit in a piece of luggage to beinspected. Thereby, other objects of an X-ray non-absorbing material canalso be detected. Inspection by security staff then finally revealswhether a weapon has been detected or not.

The described device closes the security gap, which enables a criminalpassenger to smuggle a weapon of carbon fiber composite material intothe security zone at an airport, by detection of a weapon of carbonfiber composite material in the hand luggage. The weapon is detectedeven when the criminal passenger does not carry the weapon of X-raynon-absorbing material on the body, but instead transports it in thehand luggage. In any case, the mere recognition of an object of an X-raynon-absorbing material may give cause for inspection of the piece ofluggage by the security staff to detect a weapon of an X-raynon-absorbing material. Every object of an X-ray non-absorbing materialmay firstly be classified as a weapon. X-ray non-absorbing material isany material which is not imaged in the X-ray transillumination, i.e.for instance carbon fiber composite material.

In a preferred example, the second detection unit for this purposecomprises a terahertz radiation source and a terahertz radiationdetector which interact in such a manner that a weapon of carbon fibercomposite material is detected at the luggage placement unit in thepiece of luggage to be inspected. Carbon fiber composite material is anexample of an X-ray non-absorbing material. For this purpose, comparableto a body scanner, the reflected terahertz radiation is received in theterahertz radiation detector. For instance, in this regard imagingmethods known from the visualization of three-dimensional objects on thehuman body can be employed (DE 10 2012 006 670 A1).

Particularly preferably, the second detection unit comprises areflector. Said reflector is adapted and arranged to direct terahertzradiation emanating from a terahertz radiation source into the terahertzradiation detector (similarly as the body surface in the body scanner).The reflector in the simplest case is an electrically conductive boardhaving a (constant) conductivity over the entire surface thereof.Particularly preferably, the board has an electrical conductivitydiffering from that of the carbon fiber composite material in such amanner that objects generate a readily visible shade thereof.

Preferably, the device comprises a casing tunnel in which the firstdetection unit and the second detection unit are arranged. The luggageplacement unit comprises a conveyor belt for conveying a piece ofluggage to be inspected through the casing tunnel. Said casing tunnelcan be employed as a shielding against exiting X-ray radiation from thefirst detection unit.

Preferably, the first detection unit is arranged in the conveyancedirection of the conveyor belt in front of the second detection unit. Inthis arrangement, firstly a weapon of X-ray absorbing material can bedetected. Then, it is checked whether a weapon of an X-ray non-absorbingmaterial is located therein. Moreover, if an object is found in thesecond check in the place, where an object was not found in the firstcheck, it can be concluded that an object of an X-ray non-absorbingmaterial is present. This finding alone would give cause for a mandatorymanual inspection of the piece of luggage for weapons.

According to a preferred aspect of the device, the output unit includesa screen to display an image generated by the output unit of the weapondetected in the piece of luggage. The graphical output can furthercomprise an image processing. Thus, for instance in X-raytransillumination, areas of same shielding can be colored identically.

According to an advantageous aspect it is provided that the output unitcomprises an image processing unit to compare several images generatedby the output unit of the weapon located in the piece of luggage. Hence,different images from the first detection unit and the second detectionunit can be “superimposed” and compared.

Preferably, the image processing unit graphically processes an image ofthe weapons detected by the first detection unit in the piece of luggageand an image of the weapons detected by the second detection unit in thepiece of luggage to localize an object of an X-ray non-absorbingmaterial in a place, where nothing could be seen in the check by thefirst detection unit, however, where something could be seen in thecheck by the second detection unit.

Another aspect provides that the output unit comprises a warning unitwhich is adapted to emit a warning signal if an image generated by theoutput unit of the first detection unit does not image a weapon locatedin the piece of luggage and an image generated by the output unit of thesecond detection unit images a weapon located in the piece of luggage.Hence, a warning signal is generated if weapons of an X-raynon-absorbing material are detected.

According to another aspect, the invention relates to a security gatecomprising a body scanner for investigating persons for the carrying ofweapons on the body and a device for detecting weapons in a piece ofluggage as described herein.

Although the present embodiments have been described with reference tospecific example embodiments, it will be evident that variousmodifications and changes may be made to these embodiments withoutdeparting from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments.It should be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that theterms describing processes, products, elements, or methods are industryterms and may refer to similar alternatives In addition, the componentsshown in the figures, their connections, couples, and relationships, andtheir functions, are meant to be exemplary only, and are not meant tolimit the embodiments described herein.

In the following, the invention will be described exemplarily withreference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a device 1 for detecting weapons of anX-ray absorbing material 61 and for detecting weapons of an X-raynon-absorbing material 62 in a piece of luggage 3 for instance for thehand luggage at an airport. The device 1 has a conveyor belt 2 as aluggage placement unit onto which a piece of luggage 3 to be inspectedfor the content of weapons is placed.

The device 1 further comprises a first detection unit 4 having an X-raysource 41 and an X-ray detector 42. The X-ray source 41 interacts withthe X-ray detector in such a manner that a weapon 61 of an X-rayabsorbing material is detected at the luggage placement unit 2 in apiece of luggage 3 to be scanned. For this purpose, a transilluminationimage is generated due to the absorption of the X-ray emanating from theX-ray source 41 and entering directly into the X-ray detector 42.

The device 1 further comprises a second detection unit 5 which isadapted to detect a weapon 62 of an X-ray non-absorbing material in thepiece of luggage 3 to be inspected by providing a terahertz radiationsource 51 and a terahertz radiation detector 52. For instance, for thispurpose, imaging methods known from the visualization ofthree-dimensional objects on the body of humans (DE 10 2012 006 670 A1)can be implemented in the second detection unit. In the present example,the device 1 further comprises a reflector 53 which reflects terahertzradiation from the terahertz radiation source 51 into the terahertzradiation detector 52 with uniform intensity. Thus, the detectedbackground of terahertz radiation is rendered uniform and weapons(objects) of different reflectivity can be distinguished.

If, for instance a knife of carbon fiber composite material (as anexample for a weapon 62 of X-ray non-absorbing material) is located inthe piece of luggage 3, the reflection thereof of terahertz radiationcan be detected as a deviation with respect to the background. Differentreflections result from different electrical properties (such asconductivities of the surface).

The device 1 further comprises a casing tunnel 7 in which the firstdetection unit 4 and the second detection unit 5 are arranged. The pieceof luggage 3 to be inspected is conveyed on the conveyor belt 2 throughthe casing tunnel 7.

The output unit 8 generates an image of the piece of luggage 3 from thefirst detection unit 4 and an image of the piece of luggage 3 of thesecond detection unit 5 which is displayed on a screen 81. Using animage processing unit 82 both images 611 can be graphically compared todetermine whether an object (weapon) of an X-ray non-absorbing materialis located in the piece of luggage. The output unit 8 comprises awarning unit 83 which emits an acoustic warning signal if an object(weapon) of an X-ray non-absorbing material is visible. If an (inparticular isolated) object of an X-ray non-absorbing material isdetected, for the sake of security, the presence of a weapon is alwaysassumed and manual inspection by security staff is required.

The device 1 closes the security gap, which enables a criminal passengerto smuggle a weapon 62 of carbon fiber composite material into thesecurity zone at an airport, by the detection of a weapon 62 of carbonfiber composite material in the hand luggage 3. The weapon is detectedeven when the criminal passenger does not carry the weapon 62 of carbonfiber composite material on the body, but instead transports it in thehand luggage 3.

A number of embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will beunderstood that various modifications may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the claimed invention. In addition, the logicflows depicted in the figures do not require the particular order shown,or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. In addition, othersteps may be provided, or steps may be eliminated, from the describedflows, and other components may be added to, or removed from, thedescribed systems. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scopeof the following claims.

It may be appreciated that the various systems, methods, and apparatusdisclosed herein may be embodied in a machine-readable medium and/or amachine accessible medium compatible with a data processing system(e.g., a computer system), and/or may be performed in any order.

The structures and modules in the figures may be shown as distinct andcommunicating with only a few specific structures and not others. Thestructures may be merged with each other, may perform overlappingfunctions, and may communicate with other structures not shown to beconnected in the figures. Accordingly, the specification and/or drawingsmay be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for detecting weapons in a piece ofluggage, the device comprising: a luggage placement unit for placementof a piece of luggage to be scanned, a first detection unit having anX-ray source and an X-ray detector, wherein said X-ray source interactswith the X-ray detector in such a manner that a weapon of an X-rayabsorbing material is detected at the luggage placement unit in a pieceof luggage to be scanned, a second detection unit which is adapted todetect a weapon of an X-ray non-absorbing material at the luggageplacement unit in a piece of luggage to be scanned, and an output unitfor generating a signal when a weapon located in the piece of luggage isdetected by the first detection unit or the second detection unit. 2.The device according to claim 1, wherein the second detection unitcomprises a terahertz radiation source and a terahertz radiationdetector which interact in such a manner that a weapon of carbon fibercomposite material is detected at the luggage placement unit in thepiece of luggage to be scanned.
 3. The device according to claim 2,wherein the second detection unit comprises a reflector, wherein saidreflector is arranged such that terahertz radiation emanating from theterahertz radiation source is directed into the terahertz radiationdetector.
 4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising acasing tunnel in which the first detection unit and the second detectionunit are arranged, and wherein the luggage placement unit comprises aconveyor belt for conveying a piece of luggage to be scanned through thecasing tunnel.
 5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the firstdetection unit is arranged in the conveying direction of the conveyorbelt in front of the second detection unit.
 6. The device according toclaim 1 wherein the output unit includes a screen for displaying animage generated by the output unit of the weapon detected in the pieceof luggage.
 7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the output unitincludes an image processing unit for comparing several images generatedby the output unit of the weapon located in the piece of luggage.
 8. Thedevice according to claim 7, wherein the image processing unit comparesan image of the piece of luggage from the inspection by the firstdetection unit and an image of the piece of luggage from the inspectionby the second detection unit.
 9. The device according to claim 8,wherein the output unit includes a warning unit which is adapted to emita warning signal if an image of the piece of luggage from the inspectionby the first detection unit does not show a weapon and an image of thepiece of luggage from the inspection by the second detection unit doesshow a weapon.
 10. The device according to claim 1, wherein a securitygate comprising a body scanner for inspecting people for the carrying ofweapons on the body and a device for detecting weapons in a piece ofluggage.